Are Romanian Resorts Smart? A Destination-Based Analysis

This study explores the extent to which Romanian resorts of national interest can be considered “smart destinations” and examines the impact of smart technologies on key tourism indicators. The added value of this research lies in its comprehensive, destination-based analysis of the 54 officially designated resorts of national interest, providing a quantitative assessment of their digitalization and smart features, a topic of growing relevance for tourism competitiveness and sustainability. The research aims to assess the level of smartness across these resorts and to evaluate its influence on tourist arrivals, overnight stays, and average lengths of stay. A composite Smart Indicator was developed, comprising 39 components such as website presence, multilingual support, mobile applications, social media activity, digital services for tourists and residents, accessibility for people with disabilities, and smart mobility solutions. For each resort, the presence or absence of these features was systematically coded (1/0), based on official sources. Panel data covering the 2001–2023 timeframe were compiled for key tourism metrics. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS and XLSTAT, testing the hypotheses regarding the relationship between the Smart Indicator and tourism performance. The results reveal significant disparities in smartness levels among the scrutinized resorts, with coastal destinations generally outperforming mountain and balneary resorts. Statistical findings confirm that higher smartness levels are positively associated with increased tourist arrivals, more overnight stays, and longer average lengths of stay, although the magnitude of these effects varies by resort type. The study concludes that advancing smart features is crucial for enhancing the competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of Romanian resorts. Policy recommendations include targeted investment in digital infrastructure and a focus on inclusive, sustainable smart solutions tailored to each resort’s profile.